To Hurt or to Die (Evy Story 65)
by quietandsneaky
Summary: Evy is seriously injured on a hunt, and a fellow hunter may be to blame. Older Evy story (think season 13ish).
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The characters of Supernatural do not belong to me. The original character of Evelyn Winchester does.**

Evy turned the corner, knife in hand, her senses sharp and ready to attack anything that moved. Sam and Dean were in another corner of the warehouse, searching for the very spirit that Evy was searching for at the moment. The other hunter working with them, Andy, was backing her up, and was behind her making sure that she didn't miss anything. Suddenly Evy bumped into something. Startled, she jumped and started to draw her gun, only to find it was Andy.

"Andy? What are you doing?"

Suddenly Evy felt Andy's hand on her stomach for a moment, then he took it away. Before Evy could ask him again what he was doing, he pulled his hand away and left the room. A sharp pain took Evy's breath away. She remembered having appendicitis years earlier when she was just a little girl. The pain then had been agonizing, but it was nothing compared to this. This was sharper, more focused on one spot. _What in the hell is wrong with me?,_ Evy thought to herself. She placed a hand to her abdomen and pulled it back. _Blood?_

Evy took a step to try and go find Sam and Dean, but the pain in her stomach exploded. Barely stopping herself from screaming, Evy fell to the floor, clutching her side and squirming slightly. The pain made it hard, but she put the pieces together after a few seconds. _Andy stabbed me._ Evy's phone vibrated in her front pocket. It took all her strength, but she pulled it out and checked the ID. _Sammy._ Her vision was blurring, but she managed to answer in a whisper.

"Sammy."

"Hey, Cricket, you okay?" Sam asked. "Me and Dean aren't finding anything…"

"Sammy." Evy said a little louder, still struggling to keep herself upright. "I need your help."

Sam caught on to the urgency in her voice and the panic rose inside him. "Cricket? Are you okay?"

Evy again felt her consciousness starting to slip. "Need…you."

"Where are you? Where's Andy?"

"Andy…" Evy said, then focused her attention on what was important. "East…east corridor. Second floor. Help me."

Evy dropped the phone, the effort to keep it on her ear proving to be too much. She briefly slipped out of consciousness, because when she opened her eyes it was to Sam's voice screaming.

"DEAN!" Sam scrambled over to her and examined her quickly, the panic evident in his voice. "Cricket, come on. Stay with me."

"Sammy…"

"Shh. I've got you. I'm just gonna look at it, okay?"

"Sammy." Evy groaned. "Hurts. A lot."

"I know. I know, Cricket. We're gonna get you help, just let me take a look. Okay?"

Evy moved her hand, which she had been using to try and stem the bleeding. Sam gently lifted the corner of her shirt and couldn't help the sharp intake of breath. The stab wound was still bleeding, a small but steady trickle. The area around the wound was what concerned him the most. It was purple and black, as if it was starting to bruise. _A stab wound? Bruise? What in the hell is going on?_ Dean, who had left to go check the rest of the floor, came back.

"Sam?"

"Dean. Look at this." Sam said.

"The hell?" Dean asked. Before he thought about it, Dean gingerly touched the edge of Evy's wound.

"Gaaah!" Evy screamed, arching her back against Sam. "Ow ow ow. Don't touch it again, please."

"Sorry, kiddo." Dean said. "Who did this to you?"

"Andy." Evy answered with gritted teeth.

"Andy?"

"Dean, can we go please? Kinda bleeding here." Evy said somewhat irritably.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go." Sam said. "Can you walk?"

Evy shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Okay. I got you."

Sam lifted up the injured Evy and carried her to the car. He couldn't help it; he climbed into the backseat with her and held her. She wept as Sam held a cloth to her wound, trying to stem the bleeding. He was as gentle as he could be, but to Evy, even Sam gently holding the cloth to her stomach felt like she was being stabbed all over again.

"I'm sorry, baby, but I have to stop the bleeding."

"I know." Evy said. "Sammy, something's wrong. Really wrong."

"I know baby. Let's just get this under control and we'll find out. Okay?" Evy groaned again, and Sam began to truly panic as her eyes fluttered and then closed. "Dean, drive!"

Even at breakneck speed, it was a half hour drive back to the bunker. Even though Sam knew that Evy couldn't die from this injury, he did know that she could stay hurt or in pain forever. She couldn't die from it, but she couldn't be healed either. The wound was still trickling blood, and Sam couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like the bruised skin around the wound had grown ever so slightly.

"You'll be okay, Cricket. I'll make sure of it."


	2. Chapter 2

Forty-five minutes had produced virtually no change in Evy's condition. The wound had finally stopped bleeding, though Evy was gritting her teeth against the pain. Cass was with them, but seemed completely lost. He left to try and find Andy, but had no luck. Evy was sitting in a chair in the library with them. She refused to go to her bed or Sam's, claiming that it made no difference whether she was standing or sitting.

"How you feeling, kiddo?" Dean asked.

Evy groaned again. "Like I've still got a blade in my stomach."

"Sorry. Stupid question, I guess." Dean said.

"No. I just…" Evy tried changing positions for the fourth time. "It just feels like…like it's getting worse. Little by little every minute. Hurts to breathe."

"Dean, maybe we should take her to the hospital." Sam said from the table where he was loaded down with lore books trying to find something to help Evy.

"NO!" Evy protested. "Sam, I can't explain how I know, but this isn't just a normal stab wound. Andy wasn't…he wasn't him when he did this."

"Was he possessed?"

"No. Least I don't think so. He just seemed…blank. Like he didn't know anything was going on." Evy said.

"He might not have…"

"No, Dean." Evy said. "It's not that it wasn't Andy. It's like there was no one in there at all. Like he was being controlled."

"Alright, we'll worry about that later." Dean said. He pulled two pills out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Evy. "Here."

Evy looked at them and said, "No, Dean. Please…"

"I know. I know they make you sick. But it's the strongest thing we got right now, and the best thing for you until we figure something out is to get some sleep."

Evy nodded. "I know."

"Come on, Cricket. You want to sleep in my room?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Evy said. "Sammy, will you…"

"What?" Sam asked when she didn't say anything.

"Will you stay with me? Till I go to sleep?" Evy asked. She hadn't asked in years, and felt a little awkward doing it now. "I'm…I'm scared."

"Of course I will." Sam said. He stood up and walked over to her, taking her hand and heading towards his room. "Dean, I'll be back. Keep looking?"

"Yeah."

Sam grabbed a water bottle form the kitchen, help Evy take the pills Dean had gotten for her, and laid her down in his bed. She finally fell into a deep but unrestful sleep. Sam took the opportunity to examine her wound. There was no doubt about it now; the bruising was worse. It had spread a little, and changed from a deep purple to an almost black color. Sam shook his head to clear out flashbacks of eight years earlier, when Evy had been lying in a bed not unlike the one she was in now, recovering from the attack from Lillith. Sam pulled back some of the hair out of Evy's face.

"We're working on it, baby. Get some sleep."

Sam walked back into the library, where Cass had finally come back. "Cass? Did you find Andy?"

Cass sighed. "No. I searched everywhere. How is Evy?"

"The same. Cass, what the hell is going on with her?"

"I wish I knew, Sam. But Evy's right. The wound isn't healing. I checked her before I left to find Andy."

"What the hell?" Sam asked to no one in particular. "How are we supposed to be able to find how to help her?"

"Sam, I wish I knew. I really do." Cass said. "I thought at first it may have something to do with her being a Sensitive, but even if it did, she should still be healing like normal. And the bruising…"

"Yeah." Sam said. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, then looked at the table. "I guess I'll get back into it…"

"Hold up. I found something." Dean said. "Listen to this. 'Those whose souls are marked as special are vulnerable to attack from a markesh."

"A markesh? What the hell is a markesh?" Sam asked.

Dean continued to read. "A markesh is a spirit who can manipulate itself and cause its prey to come to it. It will latch on to something the victim will not be able to resist, then wait patiently for their mark to come to them. Once the mark is close, the markesh can take control of the nearest human being in order to subdue its victim."

"So this thing took control of Andy and made him stab Evy?" Sam asked.

"Maybe it manufactured this case." Cass suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't Evy suggest this case to you two?" Cass asked.

"Yeah. She did." Dean said. "So, what, you think it faked a vengeful spirit just to draw Evy close to it?"

"Makes sense." Sam said. "Evy would be attracted to a case."

"But why drag her out of the bunker though?" Dean asked. "It'd be just as easy to get her to run to town for ice cream."

"We'll have to worry about that later." Sam said. "Does it say what the markesh would want?"

"Um, let's see." Dean looked back down and continued reading. "The victim is subdued with an injury to the stomach. The injury does not heal and…"

"And what, Dean?" Sam asked.

"The injury does not heal and slowly sucks off pieces of the victim's soul until there is so little left that the victim no longer recognizes themselves."

"Well that, that can't happen right?" Sam asked. "Cass, you said her soul was pretty much indestructible, right?"

"Yes, but there's nothing stopping pieces of it from being siphoned off." Cass answered. "It can't be removed completely, but there could be such a small piece left that the Evy we know would be virtually gone."

"'Virtually gone'?" Sam asked. "What does that mean?"

"Well, since her soul cannot completely leave her body, I can only guess as to what would happen."

"So guess." Dean said.

Cass sighed. "She would lose her sense of self. She would slowly start to become more and more dependent on the two of you."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because she wouldn't be able to function on her own. She'll become confused at first, then eventually she'll be similar to a human with dementia. She may recognize you, she may not."

"Like the day I took her to the hospital?" Dean asked.

"Similar, yes. Only this time…"

"This time what, Cass?" Sam asked, afraid of the answer.

"I didn't think of a markesh because they're even rarer than Sensitives. And because they're so rare…"

"There's no way to cure the damage they do." Sam said.

"And no way to be sure how else they'll affect her."


	3. Chapter 3

_Evy grabbed the top of the monkey bars, determined to make it across this time no matter what. Very carefully, Evy grabbed the first bar and hung on. She remembered what Sammy had told her. Hang on tight and look straight ahead. Whatever you do, don't look down. Finally, Evy gathered her courage and moved to the second bar. There were nine of them total, and Evy took a breath and grabbed the third one._

 _Before she could grab the fourth bar, Evy felt a pair of hands on her foot. She kicked as well as she could hanging in the air, but it was no use. Suddenly, Evy found herself being snatched off the bars and tumbling to the ground._

" _Ow!"_

 _Looking up from her spot on the ground, Evy saw the class bully, Tyler, and his two friends, Simon and Jessie, laughing at her. Evy didn't feel like she'd been hurt, at least not on her body, but her feelings were definitely hurt. Evy was the smallest kid in her class, and Tyler and his friends liked to make sure she knew it._

" _Why'd you do that, Tyler? That was mean."_

" _But funny." Tyler said, doubling over in laughter._

 _Evy finally couldn't take it anymore. Tyler had been teasing her ever since she had started at the school two weeks earlier. Daddy had always told her not to fight at school, but she couldn't' just let this mean kid push her around either. While they were still laughing, Evy got up, walked over, and pushed Tyler down as hard as she could._

" _Hey!" Tyler yelled. "What'd you do that for? I'm tellin'!"_

" _Go ahead and tell. You do, and I'll tell everybody you got beat up by a girl." Evy said, throwing her hands on her hips to make herself look bigger than she was._

 _Tyler and his friends ran in the other direction, and Evy started to laugh. But when she accidentally put a hand on her stomach, she screamed in pain. She heard someone calling her, felt them grabbing her-_

"CRICKET!"

Evy was jarred awake, and the motion made her accidentally brush her wound. Evy groaned in pain, then looked around the room.

"Hey, Cricket, you okay?"

"Mmmm." Evy said, gritting her teeth.

"Come on. Sit up." Sam helped her sit up against the headboard. "How's your stomach?"

"Hurts a little." Evy said.

"Just a little? Really?"

"Yeah." Evy said. "Why? What happened?"

Cass's earlier warning about Evy developing dementia made Sam's frown deepen. "You don't remember what happened?"

"I remember being on a hunt with Andy."

 _The pain pills Dean gave her made her groggy. That's got to be it._ "Yeah. We were on a hunt with Andy. He, um…he kind of got possessed and stabbed you."

"WHAT?" Evy asked. She frantically pulled up the bottom of her shirt. "Oh my God."

"Cricket, you have to stay…" Sam's eyes fluttered towards her injury and his mouth dropped open. "What in the hell?"

"Sammy, what's wrong with me?"

Evy's wound was now a gray color that Sam had never seen before. It didn't look like it was any bigger, but when Evy took a breath, her wound looked as if it didn't move with her. Sam sat beside her and gently touched it. It felt hard, and when Evy didn't flinch, he asked,

"Does that hurt?"

"No." Evy said. "I can't feel it. Is that bad?"

Sam swallowed. "Yes. It is."

"What…what is going on?" Evy asked, tears starting to fall out.

"Hey. Hey, look at me."

Sam placed a hand on Evy's cheek, his heart breaking as he watched her cry. Evy put a hand on his arm, something she hadn't done since he'd held her in her bed comforting her from whatever was terrifying her as a little girl. Sam wiped the tear away and put her hair behind her ear.

"We will help you. Whatever it takes, we will help you. Do you believe me?"

Evy nodded. "I'm scared."

"I know. But I've got you. I've got you and I'm not leaving you. Okay?"

"Okay." Evy said. She took a shuddering breath and looked down at her stomach again. "This isn't just a stab wound."

"No. It's not." Sam said.

Evy looked up, her eyes wide. "You know something."

"Yes." Sam admitted reluctantly.

"What? What is it?"

"Cricket, you need to rest." Sam said.

"Sammy, I want to know what's going on."

Sam sighed. "Okay. Come on. We'll go talk to Cass and Dean."

Walking down the hall turned into much more of a chore than Evy had anticipated. Her usual minor limp was more pronounced, and the stomach injury made it hard for her to keep her balance. She ended up having to lean on Sam just to go from the bedroom to the library. Dean, who had been doing more research, trying to find a way to fight the markesh, smiled when he noticed Evy was up.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Evy. How are you feeling?" Cass asked.

"Cass, look at this, please." Sam said, helping Evy down into the chair she'd been sitting in earlier. "Her stomach."

Cass walked over and examined Evy's injury. He placed a hand just above it and closed his eyes for a moment. Evy knew he was scanning, trying to see the extent of her injury. When he pulled his hand away with a frown, she got even more afraid.

"Cass? What?"

"Your wound. It's…turning." Cass said soberly.

"Turning? What does that mean?"

"It's turning to stone."

"Cass, what the hell?" Dean said from the table. "You didn't say anything about _that._ "

"Dean, I told you. There's no way to predict with a hundred percent certainty what's going to happen."

"Cass, can you heal me?" Evy asked.

"Don't talk like that!" Sam reprimanded Evy sharply. "We're nowhere near talking about that yet!"

"What? Why are you yelling at me?" Evy asked innocently.

"Sam." Cass said, breaking Sam out of his temporary anger. When Sam turned to Cass, Cass told him sadly, "It's starting. The confusion. She doesn't remember."

"I don't remember what?" Evy asked.

"Why I can't heal you." Cass said. "I'm sorry. If I could, I would in a heartbeat."

"Why can't you heal me?" Evy asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Please, Cass, this hurts."

"Baby." Sam said when he saw Cass fighting tears at Evy's heartfelt plea. "Baby, Cass has already told you before why he can't heal you."

"What? When?"

"When you were attacked by Lillith. Do you remember that?" Sam asked.

"Of course I remember." Evy said. "What has that got to do with…" Evy stopped and looked around, then continued. "I didn't remember that. Why didn't I remember that?"

"Cass thinks it's because of the markesh. That's the creature that took control of Andy and stabbed you."

"He _thinks_?" Evy asked. "We don't know?"

"The attacks of a markesh are rare. There's no way to predict exactly what will happen." Cass said.

"Is there a cure?"

"Not that we know of." Sam answered. "But we're gonna find one."

"Sam…" Cass said.

"We _will_ find one." Sam said in a tone that dared Cass to disagree with him. "If it takes years, we will find one."

"I'm gonna lose my memory…"

"Stop." Sam said firmly. "Stop it. I know you're scared, but you cannot go down the worst scenario road. Dean, Cass, and I will be right here. We are finding a cure. All you need to do is rest and let us do our jobs."

"It used to be my job too." Evy pointed out.

"Not this time." Sam said. "I want you resting. Got it?"

"Yeah. Got it." Evy said.

"Okay. Cass, is it spreading? Her stomach?"

"Very, very slowly, but yes, it is spreading." Cass said.

Evy chuckled humorlessly. "Great. I'm turning into a statue."

"Kiddo, you gotta calm…" Dean said, trying to keep her calm himself.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Evy yelled. "You're not losing yourself in your own head, Deanie! You're not turning into a giant rock! Don't tell me to keep calm!"

"Okay. Okay, kiddo, you're right. I'm sorry." Dean said.

"I just…I remember that day you had to put me into the hospital. And the months afterwards…I don't want to go through that again. And if you guys can't fix it…."

"We will." Dean said. "Sam's right. I don't care how long it takes. We'll fix this. We just need you to have faith in us. Can you do that?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I can." Evy said.

"Okay. Good." Sam said. "You hungry, Cricket?"

Evy shook her head. "No. I'm not."

She smiled, making Sam curious. "What are you smiling about?"

"I was having a dream when you woke me up." Evy explained her dream briefly. "I always wondered why Daddy never yelled at me for that."

Sam and Dean both burst out in a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Dad did get called about that fight." Sam said.

"He did?"

"Yep. He didn't yell at you 'cause he was too busy laughing about it." Dean said.

"I got in a fight at school and Dad was _laughing_?" Evy asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. He was gonna talk to you about it when you got home, remind you not to do it again, but every time he tried to think about what to say he'd just start laughing again." Dean told her. "He couldn't believe you knocked down one kid twice your size and scared two other ones."

For a few minutes, all was calm as Sam, Dean, and Evy relived that afternoon on the playground. Dean's phone rang and he picked it up, his heart stopping at the other voice on the line.

"Andy?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Andy?"

"Dean?" The terrified voice on the other end replied.

"Andy, listen, we need you to get back to the bunker."

"Dean, Evy…" Andy started to say.

"Evy's right here. Andy, we know it wasn't you."

"What? Is she okay?" Andy asked.

"Um…no, not really. She's stable, but she's hurt bad. But we need you to get back to the bunker and help us figure this out."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Hang on." Dean placed a hand on the phone to block his voice and turned to Evy. "Andy wants to talk to you."

Evy nodded and took the phone from Dean. "Hey, Andy."

"Hey. I'm so, so sorry."

"Andy, it's okay. I know it wasn't you. Just get over here. Okay?" Evy said.

"Okay, I will. See you soon."

Evy handed the phone back to Dean. "He's on the way."

"I'll examine his memories when he gets here."

"You think he'll remember anything?" Sam asked.

"It's possible he'll have some subconscious memories." Cass said. "It may help us fill in the blanks."

Evy suddenly leaned over the side of her chair and vomited, causing her to shake and moan in pain all over again. Sam instinctively ran to her and pulled her hair back, holding it for her with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Shaking, she leaned back in the chair as Cass casually waved the mess away.

"Is it the meds?"

"I think so." Evy said, closing her eyes tightly.

"You think you're gonna be sick again?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Evy said. "The other times I took it I just threw up once, but with this…"

"Let's go back to bed." Sam suggested.

"No. Please, I don't want to be alone."

"Okay. I'll make you a deal. I'll bring the cot in here, and one of the small trashcans, if you'll grab a warm shower and then try to eat something small." Sam said.

"Deal." Evy said. She opened her eyes and looked over towards Dean. "Could you get something else for me to take? In case it starts hurting again?"

"Sure, kiddo." Dean said. "Go get cleaned up and I'll see what I can get."

"Thanks."

Evy went down the hall towards the bathroom. She heard Sam and Dean discussing the problem with her and her wound, but she tuned out the conversation. She allowed the hot water to run over her for a few minutes, letting it relax and calm her nerves. She came out, dressed into pajamas, and grabbed a pillow off her bed. She discovered a new problem.

"Sammy!"

She had to call him twice more, but finally Sam appeared in her doorway. "What's wrong?"

Tears in her eyes, Evy admitted, "I couldn't remember how to get back to the library."

"Oh, Cricket…"

"I feel like I'm losing my mind. Again." Evy said. As Sam came in and sat next to her, she explained, "I remember it. That morning. When Dean came into my room and I didn't know what was going on. I knew you weren't there, but I couldn't remember why. After a while, I knew I was going crazy and there was nothing I could do about it."

Sam was rubbing her back, listening to her talk. He wanted to tell her that it wouldn't happen, that she wouldn't lose her mind, but it was already happening. Evy had hidden it well in the library, but she was afraid. And Sam was one of the few people she wasn't afraid to admit that to.

"I don't want to do that again, Sammy. I don't know if I can."

"Hey. Listen to me. I know you're scared. I get that. I do. I don't know how much this'll help, but no matter what happens, I _am_ here this time. And I will not let you go. Even if the worst does happen, and you don't know what's going on, I will be right here."

Evy turned and smiled. "I know you will be."

"Do you still want to go out to the library? Or do you want to lay down in here?"

Evy shook her head. "I don't want to be alone."

"Okay. Let's go."

Sam led her back into the library, and again she had to lean on him for support. Once she was lying back down, Cass did another quick examination of her. The wound hadn't grown any in the last couple of hours, but Sam didn't dare hope that it meant she was getting better. Dean had left to get more pain medicine, and Cass made a suggestion.

"Maybe we should keep track of her memory loss."

"How?" Evy asked.

"Every hour or so, me, Dean, or Sam will ask you some basic questions. Some of them will be the same-your name, your brothers' names, your parents' names, and your date of birth. The other will be a question that we make up. Do you understand?"

"Sure." Evy said. "You want to start now?" Cass nodded, and Evy replied, "Evelyn Abigail Winchester, April 4, 1993. Two older brothers, Sam and Dean, and my mom and dad were John Winchester and Melissa Collins."

"Good." Cass said.

"What do I call you and why?" Sam asked.

"Cricket and because it was my first word." Evy answered.

"Right." Sam said. "You want some soup?"

"Um…just crackers for now?"

"For now." Sam said. "I'll be back."

Cass kept her company while Sam went to the kitchen to put a few crackers on a plate for her. Cass felt deep regret for not being able to heal her. He felt a deep connection to Evy that he'd never felt to anyone else. As close as he felt to Sam and Dean, Evy was special to him. Evy reached out and took his hand, something she'd taught him to do in the first place.

"I know you're feeling guilty. Don't. This isn't your fault."

"I just wish I could help you." Cass said.

"Cass, you are. Just stay with me. Okay? Do exactly what you're doing right now."

Cass had learned years earlier not to argue with her. He smiled, patted her hand. and stayed with her when Sam brought back her crackers. She ate a few then laid down, going back to sleep.

 _Evy ran fast, trying to get away from the tickle lion that was chasing her. She knew if she just got to Uncle Baby, she'd be safe. She found him in the living room, on the phone with someone. She knew she wasn't supposed to interrupt him, but she couldn't help it. Evy ran into his legs and hung on._

" _Unca Baby! Save me!"_

 _She didn't hear what uncle Baby said when he hung up the phone, but she was glad he did. "What, Baitfish?"_

" _Save me! The tickle lion gonna get me!" Sam came from around the corner, and Evy giggled and gripped the leg tighter._

 _Uncle Baby lifted her up and asked, "You know how to beat a tickle lion?"_

" _How?" Evy asked._

" _Get a bigger lion to help you."_

 _Evy grinned. "You be my lion?"_

" _Happy to."_

 _Before she knew it, they were all on the couch, tickling each other, and Evy was laughing harder than ever before. Sammy eventually tried tickling her tummy, but it hurt-_

"Come on, kiddo. Wake up."

Evy jerked awake and looked around. "Deanie?"

"Yeah. You sounded like you were having a bad dream. You okay?"

"It wasn't a bad dream. Just me and Sammy goofing off with Bobby." Evy said. "Where is he?"

"Sam?" Dean asked. "He's in the kitchen making some lunch."

"Not Sam. Bobby." She noticed Dean look sadly at Cass. "What?"

"Kiddo, Bobby died a few years ago. You were there with us. Remember?"

Evy started to argue with him, until her memory jogged itself and she did remember. They were looking for Dick Roman. Bobby had jumped in the van with them and into the backseat with Evy. Screaming to Sam that something was wrong and Dean to drive to the hospital. Telling Bobby he would be okay and believing it. Being there when the heart monitor went flat. Though she did remember that it had happened years earlier, as Dean had said, the loss felt fresh. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, getting her emotions under control before opening them again and asking,

"Is Andy here yet?"

"He's on the way." Dean said. "He said he was a couple hours out."

Evy nodded and started to get up.

"Where you going?"

"Bathroom." Evy said.

"You want me to go with you?"

Evy raised her eyebrows. "Dean, I've been doing this by myself for quite a few years."

"I know, but…"

"I'll call if I need help." Evy said. She did remember forgetting how to get from the bathroom to her room to the library.

Dean nodded, and Evy walked back down the hall to the bathroom. It was tough without support, but she was determined to do it herself. She left the door ajar, as she was far enough away from the bathroom that no one could hear her. Evy turned to the bathroom mirror and talked to herself.

"My name is Evelyn Abigail Winchester. My brothers are Sam and Dean, our friend's name is Cass. My dad is John Winchester, my mom is Melissa…Melissa…"

Evy frowned; her mom's last name was starting to fade. It was a minor detail that she didn't have to think about on a daily basis, but it was important to her. When the name didn't come back to her, she couldn't stop the tears from coming. As always, Sam found her when she didn't come back to the library.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't remember my mom's name." Evy said. "I'm starting to forget."

Sam, not sure what to say, simply held her to comfort her again, then suggested when she calmed down, "I made you some lunch. Let's go eat."

"I had another dream." Evy said. She told him the dream. "Do you remember that day?"

"I do." Sam said.

Though it was a good memory for him too, he was starting to get worried. Evy's last dream had happened right before she couldn't remember how to get from the bathroom to the library. Did the dreams happen before another loss of memory? Since they seemed to comfort Evy, he decided to wait until he was alone with Cass and Dean before sharing his theory. Andy was still a couple of hours out, so he sat with Evy as she ate.

 _We'll figure this out,_ Sam promised.

 **Next chapter: Andy makes it back to the bunker. Sam discusses his dream theory with Cass and Dean, and Evy's memory loss continues to get worse.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Just to recap for anyone reading this who may not have read Evy's first story** _ **Sensitive Souls are the Strongest**_ **. Evy is a Sensitive-meaning that she can survive anything, and she can choose when and where she dies. But, on the flipside, she can't be healed when she's hurt. If she is, the energy from being healed will overwhelm her soul and kill her. She has also been institutionalized for a mental breakdown before-hence why she seems doubly scared of losing her memory.**

When Andy pulled up to the bunker two hours later, he seriously considered turning the other direction and driving away. He had been acquainted with the Winchesters for years, and had known Evy since she was fourteen. This was the first hunt he'd taken with her, though, and she had impressed him far more than he thought her capable of doing. Right up until…

"Andy!"

Andy jumped. He hadn't seen Cass come out of the bunker. _He probably didn't come out of the bunker,_ he thought. Andy still wasn't used to Cass being able to teleport. Cass walked to Andy's car door and opened it.

"Andy, come inside, please."

"Cass, how's Evy?" Andy asked as he got out.

"She's not well." Cass said. "Come in, please."

Down in the main room of the bunker, Andy found Evy sitting up on a cot, leaning against a bookshelf. She had a trashcan beside her, a half eaten plate of crackers on the bed with her, and a less than half drunk Gatorade on the shelf behind her. She was sweating and shaking, leaning against Sam for support, who was trying to coax her into drinking a little more.

"No, Sammy! Not now."

"Okay…"

Andy started down the steps, making Evy finally push Sam away from her. She could see how guilty he felt, so she smiled at him.

"Hey. Andy."

"Hey." Andy walked over awkwardly. "How you doing?"

"Umm. Peachy." She said.

"Andy. We should get started." Cass said.

Andy looked up, confused. "Started on what?"

"Cass is gonna check your memory, see if there's anything that might be buried in your subconscious that might help."

"I don't remember anything." Andy said.

"I may be able to see through the gaps in your memory." Cass explained. "You won't be able to feel anything, except perhaps a slight tickle."

"Okay." Andy agreed. "I want to know myself."

Cass performed the scan of Andy's brain, but it turned up nothing. Andy's memory was a complete blank from the time the four of them entered the warehouse until he had run a few miles away after stabbing Evy.

"Andy, you don't remember anything?"

"No. I'm sorry. I remember turning that corner then waking up running down the street a few miles away." Andy said.

"What I saw matches up with his description." Cass informed them.

"Andy, if you didn't have any memory, how'd you know something had happened to Evy?" Dean asked.

"I didn't. I just…I just had a feeling that I'd done something. That I'd hurt someone. Since I couldn't remember anything from the time we turned into the hallway…"

"You put two and two together." Sam said. 

"Why did you wait so long to come back?" Dean asked.

Andy's eyes widened. "Why didn't I call sooner to ask if I'd hurt Sam and Dean Winchester's sister?"

"You're…you're worried about them?" Evy asked from the cot, a creeping smile on her face as she made a weak attempt at a joke.

"Alright, Xena." Dean said with a chuckle. "Come on. Lay it on me."

Evy sighed and recited. "Evelyn Abigail Winchester. April 4, 1993. Brothers Sam and Dean. My dad's name is…."

A long, uncomfortable, thirty second silence followed, and a frustrated Evy took the plate on the bed and threw it towards the wall. It shattered in pieces behind Andy's head.

"I hate this!" Evy shouted.

"Hey. Stop. We have to know…"

"Trust me, Sammy, _I_ know! Believe me, I feel my brain turning to swiss cheese right now! And this…" Evy pulled up her pajama shirt, revealing her wound to Andy for the first time. "I can feel it draining me. Every second I can feel it taking a little piece of me away. I can't…"

"Can't what?" Sam asked, though he was terrified he already knew.

"Sammy, I can't do it. I can't live like that again. You don't know what it was like last time." Evy swallowed and turned to Dean. "Please, not again."

"What are you asking?" Sam asked, a slight twinge of anger to his voice.

"Let me go." Evy whispered.

The air left Sam's lungs. His heart stopped beating in his chest. He heard Cass explaining to Andy exactly what Evy meant, and could feel Dean's gaze on the two of them. Sam's instinct was to yell, to tell her no way, that she had to stick around. When he finally gained back his ability to speak, Sam begged,

"Three days. Please, baby, don't give up yet. Just give us three days."

"What if I'm so far gone by then…?"

Sam could barely believe it was him talking when he said it, but he did. "I'll let Cass heal you."

Evy, surprised, looked up at Sam with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I know it hurts you. I just don't want to be stuck like that forever."

"I get it. I do. I promise, I won't let it happen. Just give me three days. Please."

"Okay. Three days." Evy said. "Thank you."

Sam nodded. The promise terrified him, but he understood it. He hadn't been around when she'd been committed to the hospital, but Sam had seen the effect it had on her. As Cass and Andy tried to come to a consensus on what they should do, Sam walked to the kitchen to try and find something else Evy would eat. Dean followed behind, close on his heels.

"Sam, what the hell?"

"Dean, don't." Sam said.

"You're gonna let her die?"

"Of course I'm not, Dean! Don't be stupid!"

"Then why did you make that promise?" Dean asked.

"Dean, if we don't figure this out, she's going to be stuck like this. She doesn't want that."

"So what? We can't just let her die!"

"No, _you_ can't just let her die." Sam said. "This isn't going to be another Gadreel. This is _Evy's_ choice. Not mine, not yours. If she doesn't want to be in pain for the rest of her life, I'm not going to force her. That's selfish. Now if you don't mind, Dean, I'm trying to take care of our sick sister."

Dean left the kitchen, fuming. He went back to the library to find Evy sleeping again. He decided to redouble his efforts to find a cure. Evy was not dying. He had always let Sam be the one to take care of Evy. He knew her the best, could tell what made her tick better than anyone else could. But that didn't mean that she didn't mean everything to Dean too.

The rest of the group worked mostly in silence for the rest of the night. Evy didn't move in her sleep, and Sam hoped that she was actually sleeping this time, without dreaming. He still wondered if the dreams were causing her memory loss, but the argument with Dean had taken priority over that. Everyone eventually caught some sleep, only to be woken up in the early hours of the morning. A frightened Evy was backed against the wall, crying and staring at them with wide eyes. Sam approached her carefully, but she backed away from him as much as she could without actually leaving the bed and running.

"Cricket? What is it?"

"Only my brother calls me Cricket. Who are you?" Evy asked in a small voice.

Sam looked to Dean, who was equally perplexed. "Cricket, it's me. It's Sammy."

Evy just seemed confused now. "You're not Sammy."

"I am, Cricket. I promise."

"Evy?" Cass asked from the foot of the bed. "How old are you?"

"Who are you?" Evy asked.

"He's a friend, baby. Of all of us. Please just answer the question. How old are you?"

Evy took a shaky breath before answering. "Seven."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** _ **Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**_ **is the property of JK Rowling.**

"So, I'm really a grownup?" Evy asked.

"Yep." Sam said.

"And I'm sick? And that's why I think I'm still a kid?"

"That's right, kiddo." Dean said.

It had been an hour since Evy had woken up. Sam couldn't decide if she had just reacted well to the news that she was now an adult, or if she was just in shock. Either way, he was just happy that she'd stopped crying. Sam instinctively reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear and his heart dropped when she backed away. Awkwardly, Sam put his hand back down.

"I don't wanna be a grownup."

"What?" Sam asked, wondering if he'd heard her correctly.

"I don't wanna be a grownup." Evy repeated.

"Well," Sam said with a barely suppressed smile, "until we get this sorted out, you don't have to be."

"Really?" Evy asked. "You promise?"

"Promise."

"'Kay." Evy said, finally relaxing a little. "Sammy? Where are we?"

"We, um…we kinda live here."

"Really?" Evy asked, her eyes widening as she looked around. "We have our own house? Cool!"

"It's not just a house, kiddo."

"What? What do you mean?" Evy asked.

"It's our very own batcave." Dean said.

"Like Batman?" Evy asked.

"Even cooler than Batman."

"Nuh uh, Deanie." Evy said. "I don't believe you. Prove it."

"Well, right this way, kiddo. Let's go."

Dean took Evy's hand and led her around the bunker, with Sam following close behind. It had been a long time since Sam had heard her this happy, this content, and this amazed by anything. When they reached Evy's bedroom, Dean seemed to debate going in. Sam nodded, and the two of them led her inside.

"This is your room, Cricket."

Evy stood in the doorway, holding tight to Dean's hand as she took in the surroundings. This was the only room they'd shown her that was painted a bright green. There were photos on the wall. Some of them she recognized, but some of them were of people she'd never seen before.

"Can I go inside?"

"Yeah. It's yours." Dean said.

Evy walked inside and over to the bed, where there was a teddy bear in a bus driver's uniform. She looked over to the mirror on the wall, and for the first time saw what she really looked like as a grownup. She walked over and examined her face closely, running a hand over her cheek and across her hair.

"What are you thinking, Cricket?"

Evy turned to Sam and smiled. "I grew up pretty."

Sam, surprised at her answer, said "You always were."

"Yeah. But I never really feel that way."

"Why not, kiddo? You're a heartbreaker." Dean asked from the doorway.

Evy shrugged. "Just always being around boys, I guess."

Sam squirmed. He'd done his best to raise Evy, but he was reminded again how keen her need for a mother figure was. He'd forgotten how little a maternal influence she'd had in her early years. He hadn't really thought of Missy in forever, as the role of surrogate mother had eventually been filled by Jody Mills for not only Evy, but Sam and Dean too.

"Well, Cricket, trust me. You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world. Right, Dean?" Sam asked.

"Definitely."

Evy smiled again and took another look at her reflection. Dean checked the clock. "Hey, kiddo, you hungry?"

"No. My tummy feels kinda funny."

"Funny? Funny how?" Sam asked.

"Like it's not there." Evy said. "I didn't really notice before, but it feels weird."

"Can I see?" Sam asked.

Evy nodded, and Sam walked in and pulled up her pajama shirt. He had to restrain a gasp of surprise, and turned to Dean, whose face was pale. The wound was spreading. Nearly Evy's entire abdomen was covered in what appeared to be a thin layer of stone. Her stab wound was still there, but only seemed to be a small cut in the stone. Sam gingerly touched her stomach.

"Does that hurt at all?"

"No." Evy said simply.

"Okay. Good." Sam said. "Well, if you're not hungry, what do you want to do?"

"Will you read to me?"

"Um, I'll have to see what I can find. I think we only have lore books around…" Sam said.

"Are those the books uncle Bobby uses to find monsters?" Evy asked. "Where is uncle Bobby? And where's Daddy?"

A frown formed on Sam's face, but before he could answer Dean said, "They're on a hunt, kiddo. They'll be back soon."

"Okay." Evy said. "Sammy, can we read that book?"

"Sure, Cricket." He was struck with a sudden idea. "Do you remember the way back to the library?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Go in there and ask Cass to help you find _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._ We'll read that one." Sam said.

"Can we take turns?" Evy asked. "I'll read to you, you read to me?"

"Sure." Sam said. "But first, Cricket, I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"I want you to stay awake as long as you possibly can." Sam said. "Can you do that?"

Evy made a face like she was eating a rotten egg. "I don't like to go to sleep anyways."

Sam smiled. He had forgotten how she avoided bedtime when she was younger. "Right. Just promise me, okay? No sleeping for a while."

"Deal!" Evy said. "Can I go to the library now."

"Go." Sam watched as she ran out of the room, then turned to Dean. "What was that, Dean? Telling her Dad and Bobby were on a hunt?"

"When she woke up earlier, she forgot Bobby was dead. She remembered after a minute or so, but it looked like it hit her hard. Like it was fresh. I didn't think you'd wanna go through that again…"

"Yeah. You're right." Sam said.

"What's with the not sleeping thing?"

"Every time she goes to sleep she wakes up worse. I want to stall it as long as I can."

"Good thinking." Dean said. "Guess we should get back out there."

When they were back in the library, Evy was sitting on the cot crying again. "Cricket, what's wrong?"

"I always sit in your lap when we read together. I'm too big for that now." Evy said. "This why I don't wanna be a grownup."

"Who said you were too big?" Sam said. "Let me show you something." Sam pulled her from the cot, laid down somewhat awkwardly on it, then patted the space beside him. Evy sat down and found she fit just perfectly sitting in the crook of his arm. "How's that?"

"Perfect." Evy said with a smile.

Sam reached up and wiped the tears away that were still falling. "No matter how old you are or big you get, you will always be my baby."

Evy wrapped her arms around Sam's waist. "Love you, Sammy." 

"Love you too."

It took around six hours for the two of them to finish _Harry Potter,_ and around another hour to convince Evy to let Sam have a break before starting the second book. He watched a movie with her, comforted her when she wanted to talk to John and couldn't, and nervously watched as she ate a piece of pie that Dean offered her. When she seemed to have no reaction, Sam relaxed and checked on the progress of the research. Frustrated when there was nothing, he finally went to check on Evy, who had gone to the bedroom that belonged to the adult version of her.

"Cricket?" Sam asked, knocking on the door. When he heard no answer, he opened the door slowly, hoping that he wouldn't find her sleeping. "Cricket?"

He didn't see her at first, and he didn't want to panic. Finally, he saw it. Two feet sticking out from the other side of the bed. Thinking she was playing hide and seek, Sam tiptoed to the side of the bed. What he found was much worse than her sleeping.

Evy was having a seizure.

 **Next Chapter: Evy's condition worsens even more. The markesh comes back and explains his purpose.**


	7. Chapter 7

Twelve hours had passed since Sam found Evy in her bedroom. Twenty-four had passed since Sam had made the promise to Evy. Thirty-six had passed since Evy had been attacked. Time was passing differently for everyone. For Cass and Andy, it was urgent and pressing to try and find a cure. Though Dean had given up trying to convince Sam not to keep the promise to Evy, he was working doubly hard to find a cure so that they wouldn't even have to consider it.

For Sam, every tick of the clock meant one thing. He was one second closer to having to keep his promise to Evy. He had no intention of breaking it, but he felt like a little piece of his heart was chipping away every second. They were no closer to finding out how to deal with the markesh, or even how to find out where it was.

As bad as Evy thinking she was eighteen years younger had been, Sam was learning that things could always be worse. Evy's seizure had eventually stopped, but the aftermath was even worse. She sat on the cot, staring out into space, a completely blank look on her face. Cass's examination revealed Sam's worst fear.

"There's still a small part of Evy there. But it's so miniscule that the only thing she can do is keep herself alive."

Another day passed with no progress. It was the end of the second day, and Sam was growing frantic. In a cruel twist, her stomach was almost completely healed. The stone was gone, and all that remained of her stab wound was a deep purple scar.

As Sam panicked over possibly having to keep his promise to Evy, the markesh laughed. He had been there the entire time, watching them as they tried in vain to, in Dean's words, 'fix' Evy. There was nothing to fix. The markesh was there to protect Evy. Sensitve souls such as hers were beyond special, and needed to be protected from families that would selfishly beg her not to die when she was in such pain.

Sam had come the closest to figuring out how to break the markesh's hold on Evy's soul. All he had to do in order for Evy to get back to normal was to make the ultimate sacrifice. When the markesh had heard Evy's plea for Sam to let her go, he'd held his breath. Would Sam be the first to figure it out? But he'd kept his hold when Sam asked for the three days. Sam didn't want to let Evy go. Not really.

As he watched Sam come back to Evy with another water bottle, the markesh's mind started to turn. He'd been doing this since the dawn of time, and he was tired of it. he didn't know what drove him to do it, but it had to be done. As Sam took a seat next to Evy, the markesh took a listen.

"Here you go, Cricket." Sam held the bottle up to Evy's lips, and let out a small smile when she took a drink. He pulled the bottle away and capped it. "There you go." Sam put the bottle down on the floor next to him, and started the futile attempt again to talk to Evy. "You want something to eat?"

Sam's only answer was Evy's complete silence.

"Dean's been making you a chocolate pie. He's in the kitchen flipping through lore books and working on the third pie."

When Sam laughed, with again no response, he checked the clock. He had twenty-four hours to go before he had to keep the worst promise he'd ever made. The thought that in twenty-five hours, if things didn't change, Evy would be dead made Sam's heart ache in a way he didn't think possible. Sam had suffered through loss before, more often than he'd thought anyone could and still remain sane, but the possibility of losing her made everything else meaningless. Sam took Evy's hand and squeezed it, fighting tears when she didn't squeeze it back.

"I know you're in there somewhere. Please, Cricket, hear me. Fight this. Fight it hard, please. I know you're hurting, and I know it feels like it'll be easier to let it go. But I can't do this without you. Fighting the bad guys, fighting the monsters, it doesn't mean anything without you there. You're my heart. My reason for getting up in the morning. I'll keep my promise to you, I swear. Just please promise me you'll fight."

Sam waited almost a whole half minute before moving. He didn't believe in miracles anymore, not really, so he didn't know what he was expecting. When she still said nothing, Sam started to stand up and take the water bottle back to the kitchen. When he let go of Evy's hand, he jumped when he felt her take his hand back. When he turned around, she was looking at him and not the wall.

"Cricket?" he asked. Was she getting better?

Evy moved her lips a little, but nothing came out. She shut her eyes for a moment, then opened them again and spoke very slowly. The hand that wasn't holding his pointed towards herself.

"Baby."

"What?" Sam asked.

Evy pointed towards herself again, then back at him. "B…baby."

"Yes." Sam laughed with relief. It was the first word she had said in nearly two days. "Yes. Yes, you're my baby. You always will be."

Lighting Sam's heart again, Evy smiled. "Baby."

Sam grabbed Evy into a hard hug again. "You have no idea how happy you've made me right now."

The markesh was stunned. Never before had a Sensitive been able to fight the hold on their soul to reach their family. The bond between Evy's soul and Sam's was much stronger than he'd anticipated. He made his decision. With a nod of his head, the markesh made himself visible. Sam, who'd been holding Evy, almost dropped her in surprise.

"DEAN!" Sam shouted, pulling the gun at his side. "Who the hell are you?"

"Relax, Sam. I came only to talk to you."

Dean came running in, gun drawn as well. "Answer the question. Who the hell are you?"

"I am currently in possession of your sister's soul."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"I am the markesh you've been trying to read up on." The markesh answered. "And I'll gladly answer your questions when you put the guns down."

"Let her go." Dean commanded.

"No."

Dean fired his gun, drawing Andy and Cass into the room from the far end of the bunker. He kept firing. The thing in front of him looked human enough, so Dean figured that bullets would kill it. But, of course, it didn't, and after he fired everything he had into the markesh and it still stood, he felt slightly foolish for even considering it.

"Are you done, Dean?"

"Who are you?" Cass asked from next to Dean.

"As I was saying before, I am currently in possession of Evelyn's soul."

"What do you want?" Sam asked. "Why are you doing this?"

The markesh smiled. "Finally. Asking the right question."

"It was you that possessed me." Andy said from next to Cass.

"Yes." The markesh said simply. "Though I despise the term possession. I took complete control of both your body and your mind."

"Why?" Cass asked. "For what purpose?"

"Patience, my friend. Patience." The markesh moved over to Evy and glanced down at her. "You, my dear, are stronger than you look."

"Stay away from her." Sam said, pulling Evy closer to him.

"I will not harm her any further."

"This seems pretty far to me." Dean said. "Now tell us whatever you came to tell us."

"Fine. My purpose is simple. I protect those whose soul has been marked as special."

"Protect them from what?" Andy asked. 

"From well-meaning but selfish family members."

"Selfish?" Sam asked. "How are we selfish?"

"I won't tell you that. You both need to figure that out on your own."

"Figure what out?" Cass asked. "Is there a way to put Evy back to normal or not?"

"There is. I won't tell you the answer, but I will tell you this. If you want to save her, you have to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice."

"I'd die for her." Sam said. "Dean and I both would."

"As would I." Cass remarked. "Is that the answer? One of us dies to bring her back?"

"No. I told you, and I meant it, that I wouldn't tell you the answer. But to save Evy, you have to be willing to give up what you love the most in the world."

"Please. Please bring her back. I'd give up anything for her." Sam begged.

"Would you?" the markesh asked. At Sam's startled look, the markesh answered, "I'm leaving now. If you don't figure this out, Evy will stay this way for the rest of her life. Which in her case, could be eternity. Remember, you have to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice."

The markesh left as quickly as he'd come, leaving behind a stumped Cass, Dean, Andy, and Sam. Sam rolled the words over in his head. _I protect those whose soul is marked as special. From well-meaning but selfish family members. If you want to save her, you have to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. To save Evy, you have to be willing to give up what you love the most in the world._

Sam meant what he'd said. He would lay down his own life in a heartbeat if it saved Evy. But if that wasn't enough, what else could he give up? What could he sacrifice that was greater than his own life?

The answer came in a blinding epiphany. Evy. _To save Evy, you have to be willing to give up what you love the most in the world._ Sam loved Evy most in the world. To save her, he had to be willing to give her up. But what if that wasn't the answer either? What if what he was about to do didn't save Evy but killed her?

It was a chance he had to take.

"Cass, heal her."


	8. Chapter 8

"Cass, heal her."

"What the hell, Sam?" Dean almost shouted.

"Dean, just trust me." Sam said. "Cass, heal her."

"Sam, we have another day before we have to…" Dean pushed.

"Cass, do it." Sam said. "Dean, let him or I'll shoot you. Cass, do it. Now."

Cass still did not understand what Sam was doing, btu he chose to trust Sam, even if Dean didn't. He moved to Evy quickly, who was back to staring into space. He hesitated briefly, then placed two fingers on Evy's forehead. The familiar blue glow came that Sam and Dean had seen many times, though this time they were not as hopeful as they had been before.

Evy fell forward when Cass healed her. She landed onto Sam's chest, and the next ten seconds were some of the longest of his and Dean's life. Andy felt bad being in the room, like he was intruding on a private family moment. Sam cautiously pulled Evy off him, checking her heartbeat. His breath was coming in shallow gasps, as he couldn't find a beating heart.

"Sam?"

Just as Sam was about to admit to Dean that Evy was dead, she woke with a loud gasp. She grasped Sam as if he was her lifeline, her anchor to the world, a role which Sam fell into with ease.

"Whoa. Whoa, calm down, Cricket. Take a breath."

"Sammy?" Evy asked, still breathing hard. "What happened?"

"Are you okay?" Sam asked. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been run over by a truck."

"Do you remember what happened?" Andy asked.

Evy smiled. For the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe freely. "Yeah, I remember everything. I just…" Evy took a deep breath and relished the feeling. She noticed Andy looking at her painfully and said, "Andy, listen. The thing that had me, the markesh, he took control of you and basically put you to sleep. You didn't know. It wasn't your fault. Okay?"

"Cricket, how do you know that?" Sam asked.

"I could see you guys the whole time. I just couldn't talk to you." Evy said. She turned to Sam and asked, "Did you hear me?"

"You mean now?"

"No. I was trying to reach you. Show you that I could hear you." Evy said. She pointed at her chest and back to Sam. "Baby?"

"Yes." Sam smiled. "Yes, I heard you."

"Good." Evy said.

"Evy, I'm curious. How much did you know about what was happening?" Cass asked.

"It's like I was in two places at once at first. I could feel something having a hold on me, but I didn't know what it was. And the hold just kept getting stronger and stronger." Evy said. "I could look down and see you guys talking to me but I couldn't tell you what I thought was going on."

"I'm just glad you're okay." Sam said.

"Let me scan to make sure of that, please." Cass checked Evy over and smiled. "She's completely healthy."

"And sane?"

"Smartest person in the room." Cass said.

"I'll second that." Dean agreed.

"So how'd you guys fix me?" Evy asked. "It took all my energy to reach out to Sammy."

"I, um…" Sam squirmed a little, felling slightly awkward admitting the truth. "I had to kill you."

"What?"

"I had to tell Cass to cure you." Sam said. "I did, you stopped breathing for about thirty seconds, then you woke up."

"You had to give me up." Evy said. "I heard him say that, but I didn't know what he meant."

"Yeah." Sam said. "Scariest moment of my life."

"But you did it anyway." Evy said. When Sam blushed, Evy sat up and hugged his neck. "I know that hurt you. I love you too." She broke free of the hug and looked at Dean. "I want my pie."

Dean laughed. "Come on, kiddo. Let's go get it."

 _Six Months Later_

 _Ah choo!_

Evy walked into the kitchen in a daze. She felt miserable. She had a headache, couldn't breathe, and was almost certain she had a fever. She felt hot and cold at the same time. She walked over to Sam, who was doing research on his laptop, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Hey." He said. "You okay?"

"I don't feel so good, Sammy." She said.

"Come here, let me see." Sam turned around and put a hand to her forehead. He felt her cheek and immediately went into what Evy called "mama bear mode". "God, you're burning up."

"I figured." Evy said.

"Dean!" Sam called.

"Not so loud, please!" Evy said. "My head's killing me."

"Sorry." Sam said as Dean made it to the kitchen.

"What's up?" Dean asked.

"She's sick." Sam told him. "Really sick. Feel her forehead."

When Dean did, he looked almost more concerned than Sam did. "What are you even doing out of bed right now?" he asked. "Come on."

"Guys, come on. Don't treat me like a baby, please!" Evy asked.

"Can't help it, Cricket." Sam said. He stood up and grabbed her arm to lead her back to her room. "You're our baby and we're gonna take care of you until you get better. And there's nothing you can do about it. Okay?"

"Alright." Evy answered, defeated.

When Sam had gotten her back in her room and back in bed, he tucked her in like he'd done when she was little. He leaned over her and said,

"Dean's gonna be right here, okay? You go back to sleep."

"Where you going?" Evy asked.

"To town. Get you some NyQuil and some chicken soup. I won't be long, I promise." Sam said.

Evy smiled. "Okay, Sammy. Love you."

Sam kissed her forehead and brushed her hair back. He was trying to hide how worried he actually was. When he'd touched Evy's forehead, it had felt like she was on fire. But hopefully the medicine, soup, and rest would help. He didn't want to take her to the ER unless it became absolutely necessary. So he just smiled back at her and replied,

"I love you too, Cricket. Everything's gonna be okay."


End file.
